California Grapples with Severe Weather: Heavy Rains, Powerful Winds, and Flooding Disrupt Normalcy
Key Facts:
- More than 693,000 homes and businesses in California faced power outages on Monday due to the ongoing atmospheric river event, according to Poweroutage.us.
- Areas in Los Angeles County, including Santa Monica, West Hollywood, and Beverly Hills, remained under a flash flood warning until Monday morning, as per the National Weather Service’s Los Angeles office.
- The San Francisco Bay Area experienced sustained wind speeds of 55 miles per hour, with gusts surpassing 100 mph in certain locations.
- The National Weather Service’s latest update warned of “life-threatening and damaging flash flooding” across central and southern California on Monday.
- Parts of the Sierra Nevada mountains could receive up to 4 inches of snow, and strong winds are anticipated to bring high surf along the state’s coast.
School Closures and Weather Impact:
- Due to severe weather conditions, schools in the Santa Barbara Unified district will remain closed on Monday. However, classes will continue in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Significant Figures:
- Downtown Los Angeles received 4.10 inches of rain on Sunday, marking the city’s third wettest February day since 1877 and the 10th wettest day overall.
Key Background:
- The extreme weather, characterized by heavy rains and winds, is attributed to an atmospheric river known as the “Pineapple Express.” These are elongated bands of atmosphere transporting moisture from tropical oceanic regions to colder areas further north. The Pineapple Express, originating from tropical regions around Hawaii, brings substantial moisture across the Pacific to the U.S. West Coast.
Upcoming Weather and Impact:
- The influence of the atmospheric river is expected to persist until Tuesday. Los Angeles will continue to experience heavy rains on Monday morning, followed by the storm moving southward along the coast to Orange County and San Diego later in the day. Coastal flooding and high surf will be concerns through Monday evening, with Southern California likely to experience heavy to moderate rainfall until Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service’s warnings.